CSO Consultation 2023, Kathmandu


As planned in the last CSO Consultation in Bangkok, this two-day event organized on May 4 and 5, 2023 in Kathmandu, focused on the discussion of the structure, activities and values of the Coalition. Before the event, NFA had prepared and shared the Options paper on the Structure of the Coalition, and the Concept Papers on the Thematic Focus and Activities with the Founding members and the Advisory Group on March 19, 2023. The Options Paper studied five other global and regional networks. A detailed explanation of each role was presented in the options paper for the advisory committee and the general members to give their comments on. This event was attended by 32 CSO representatives and 4 Advisory Group members. Day 1 of the consultations focused on discussions related to the name and principles of the Coalition. The participants were divided into groups to discuss the name of the Coalition. The participants reported back with the following options:
- Asia-Pacific Nationality Justice Collective (APNJ)
- Nationality Justice Community Asia-Pacific (NJCAP)
- Collective for Nationality Justice, Equality and Inclusion (CNJEI)
- Asia-Pacific Collective on Equality and Nationality Justice (APCENJ)
- Convening on Equality and Nationality Justice (CENJ)
- Nationality Justice Actors for Asia-Pacific (NJAAP)
- Collective for Equality and Nationality Justice (CENJ)
- Collective for Nationality Justice and Solidarity (CNJS)
- Collective for Nationality Justice (CNJ)
- Asia Pacific Partnership on Legal Identity to End Statelessness (APPLIES)
- Asia Pacific Alliance for Citizenship and Nationality for All (APACANA)
- Asia Pacific Network for Eradication of Statelessness (APNES)
- Asia Pacific Partnership to End Statelessness (APPS)
- Asia Pacific Coalition to End Statelessness (APCES)
- Coalition to End Statelessness in Asia Pacific (CSAP)
- Asia Pacific Coalition on Nationality Rights (APCNR)
- Asia-Pacific Nationality Justice Collective (APNJ)
- Nationality Justice Community Asia-Pacific (NJCAP)
- Collective for Nationality Justice, Equality and Inclusion (CNJEI)
- Asia-Pacific Collective on Equality and Nationality Justice (APCENJ)
- Convening on Equality and Nationality Justice (CENJ)
- Nationality Justice Actors for Asia-Pacific (NJAAP)
- Collective for Equality and Nationality Justice (CENJ)
- Collective for Nationality Justice and Solidarity (CNJS)
- Collective for Nationality Justice (CNJ)
- Asia Pacific Partnership on Legal Identity to End Statelessness (APPLIES)
- Asia Pacific Alliance for Citizenship and Nationality for All (APACANA)
- Asia Pacific Network for Eradication of Statelessness (APNES)
- Asia Pacific Partnership to End Statelessness (APPS)
- Asia Pacific Coalition to End Statelessness (APCES)
- Coalition to End Statelessness in Asia Pacific (CSAP)
- Asia Pacific Coalition on Nationality Rights (APCNR)
The participants then zeroed in on 9 potential names and did a voting exercise to identify the most popular choices. Each participant could vote for three names and the result of the votes can be seen in the table below:
S.N. | Name | Vote |
---|---|---|
1 | Nationality Justice Community Asia-Pacific (NJCAP) | 0 |
2 | Collective for Equality and Nationality Justice (CENJ) | 10 |
3 | Collective for Nationality Justice and Solidarity (CNJS) | 3 |
4 | Asia-Pacific Coalition to End Statelessness (APCES) | 1 |
5 | Coalition to End Statelessness in Asia-Pacific (CESA) | 4 |
6 | Asia-Pacific Partnership to End Statelessness (APPES) | 12 |
7 | Asia-Pacific Coalition for Citizenship and Dignity (APCCD) | 16 |
8 | Asia-Pacific Coalition on Statelessness and Citizenship Rights (APCSCR) | 1 |
9 | Asia-Pacific Coalition on Nationality Rights (APCNR) | 2 |
This was followed by a discussion on the principles of the Coalition. The participants were again divided into groups to discuss this, and reported back with the following principles:
- Rights-based approach
- Accountability and transparency
- Value lived experience
- Solidarity
- Inclusivity
- Collective Action
- Respect
- Trust
- Dignity
- Collaboration
- Autonomy
- Partnership
- Cultural Sensitivity
- Equality
- Commonality
- Competency
- Unity in diversity
- Do no harm
To continue the conversation and help decide the names and principles, the group decided to form a working group. The Working Group was named Name, Values and Principles Working Group (NPVWG).
On Day 2 of the event, participants discussed the goals and objectives of the Coalition. The participants did an exercise where they were tasked with identifying the activities to achieve the proposed objectives. The group identified capacity strengthening to be the biggest need followed by research and then advocacy.
The participants then discussed the options paper on the Structure of the Coalition. It was then decided to form an interim structure of Working Groups to undertake the formation process of the Coalition. Two more working groups were formed – Structure Working Group (SWG) and Activities Working Group (AWG). The members of the Working Groups were appointed in the event itself. The members also decided that NFA would coordinate the formation process and provide Secretariat services till the formation process is completed. Deadlines for each working group were assigned and the first meetings of the three working groups were decided. The CSO representatives who attended this event and the one in Bangkok were officially now recognized as Founding Members.